Browse by Geographic Focus

Current Continuing Professional Education Practice among Malaysian Nurses

This cross-sectional descriptive study involved registered nurses from government hospitals and health clinics from Peninsular Malaysia. Multistage cluster sampling was used to recruit 1000 nurses from four states of Malaysia. [from abstract]

SMS Versus Voice Messaging to Deliver MNCH Communication in Rural Malawi: Assessment of Delivery Success and User Experience

To determine the difference in delivery success of health messages delivered through pushed SMS, pushed
voice messages sent to personal phones, and voice messages retrieved from a community phone (‘‘retrieved voice
messaging’’), as well as the difference in quality of the user experience. [from abstract]

SMS Versus Voice Messaging to Deliver MNCH Communication in Rural Malawi: Assessment of Delivery Success and User Experience

To determine the difference in delivery success of health messages delivered through pushed SMS, pushed
voice messages sent to personal phones, and voice messages retrieved from a community phone (‘‘retrieved voice
messaging’’), as well as the difference in quality of the user experience. [from abstract]

As good as physicians: patient perceptions of physicians and non-physician clinicians in rural primary health centers in India

This study investigates patient views of physicians (Medical Officers) and NPCs in terms of patient satisfaction, perceived quality, and provider trust. [from abstract]

Early pregnancy detection by female community health volunteers in Nepal facilitated referral for appropriate reproductive health services

This evaluation assessed the success of a pilot program that trained [Female community health volunteers] in early pregnancy detection using urine pregnancy tests (UPTs), counseling, and referral to appropriate antenatal, safe abortion, or family planning services. [from abstract]

Addressing the human resource for health crisis in Tanzania: the lost in transition syndrome

The objective of this study was to improve knowledge on the HRH status in Tanzania by analyzing what happens to the number of medical doctors (MD) and doctor of dental surgery (DDS) degree graduates during the transition period from graduation, internship to appointment. [from abstract]

From Policy to Action: Implementing the Kenyan Community Strategy

This technical highlight provides a brief overview of Pathfinder’s experience implementing the Kenyan Community Strategy through the USAID-funded APHIAplus (AIDS, Population, and Health Integrated Assistance Plus) Nairobi-Coast project (2011-2014). [from abstract]

Holding a National Summit to Improve Health Outcomes through Health and Mapping Sector Collaboration in the Development of National Geospatial Data Infrastructure: The Nigerian Strategy

This paper provides a description of the summit and offers lessons learned on key aspects of the event, including the post-summit communiqué presented to both executive and legislative arms of the government with the intent of improving the NGDI. This paper also discusses progress on health and mapping sector collaboration and coordination since the summit.[from abstract]

Fracture Treatment by Bonesetters in Central Ghana: Patients Explain Their Choices and Experiences

To understand factors influencing patients’ decisions to choose either fracture treatment by a bonesetter or in the hospital and to explore patients’ experiences with bonesetter treatment. [from abstract]

Which Incentive Package Will Retain Regionalized Health Personnel in Burkina Faso: A Discrete Choice Experiment

The objective of the study was to identify a package for attracting and retaining health workers in underserved areas. [from abstract]

Nursing and Midwife Staffing Needs in Maternity Wards in Burkina Faso Referral Hospitals

The aim of this study was to measure the capacity of referral hospitals’ maternity services to cope with the demand for health services after the implementation of this policy. [from abstract]

An Exploratory Analysis of the Regionalization Policy for the Recruitment of Health Workers in Burkina Faso

The idea for this policy emerged after finding a highly uneven distribution of health personnel across urban and rural areas, the availability of a large number of health officers in the labour market, and the opportunity given to the Ministry of Health by the government to recruit personnel through a specific budget allocation. [from abstract]

Task Shifting for Cataract Surgery in Eastern Africa: Productivity and Attrition of Non-Physician Cataract Surgeons in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania

This project examined the surgical productivity and attrition of non-physician cataract surgeons (NPCSs) in Tanzania, Malawi, and Kenya. [from abstract]

Palliative Care in Enugu, Nigeria: Challenges to a New Practice

The aim of this article is to present a view of the challenges encountered by us as we established the Pain and Palliative Care Unit of our hospital and to give suggestions and recommendations to leaders and policymakers in emerging and developing economies around the world on how best to encourage and promote the field of palliative care. [from introduction]

Pain Control in the African Context: the Ugandan Introduction of Affordable Morphine to Relieve Suffering at the End of Life

This paper offers an example of a highly effective and cost efficient model of care that has transformed the ability to humanely manage the problems of those with terminal illness, and to offer a culturally appropriate “good death”. [from abstract]

The Future of Medical Education in Canada

Part of the vision is for all physicians, by the end of their training, to possess the clinical expertise necessary to practice medicine based on the principles of quality, safety,professionalism, and patient-centred and team-based care. [adapted from summary]

Overview of Maternal, Neonatal and Child Deaths in South Africa: Challenges, Opportunities, Progress and Future Prospects

The overview involved a synthesis and review of recent data and information from key
national representative peer reviewed articles and grey literature from the National Department of
Health and related stakeholder reports. [from abstract]

Evaluation of Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Health Workers in Rural Zambia

The purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of the various health worker retention strategies on health workers in two rural districts of Zambia. [from abstract]

Addressing the human resources for health crisis through task-shifting and retention: results from the Africa Health Systems Initiative Support to African Research Partnerships program

The task-shifting and retention and recruitment research conducted within the context of the AHSI-RES program has uncovered important areas of focus for refining current human resources for health strategies, and approaches to evaluate whether these are producing the intended results. [from paper]

NHS productivity challenge Experience from the Front Line

The unprecedented slowdown in the growth of NHS funding in England since 2010 required the NHS to pursue the most ambitious programme of productivity improvement since its foundation…But the strongest pressure has been applied and felt at the front line, by hospitals and other local service providers, faced with squeezing more and more value from every health care pound. [adapted from abstract]

Study on Developmental- Behavioural Pediatrics Training Experiences of Pediatricians and Pediatric Trainees Working in Nepal

This study aims to evaluate the Developmental –Behavioural pediatrics (DBP) training experiences of pediatricians and pediatric trainees during their post graduate training in pediatrics. [from abstract]

Effectiveness of Presence of Physician and Midwife in Quantity and Quality of Family Planning Services in Health Care Centers

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of serving physicians and midwives on the quantity and quality of family planning services in the healthcare centers of Iran. [from abstract]

Successfully Providing Essential Newborn Care for Term and Premature Babies: A Midwife’s Perspective

During the three-and-a-half years of implementation, Ethiopia’s [Federal Ministry of Health] developed a new community health strategy for the Health Extension Program consisting of Primary Health Care Units (health centers and health posts) and the Health Development army. [adapted from abstract]

“In the driver’s seat”: The Health Sector Strategic Master Plan as an Instrument for Aid Coordination in Mongolia

This research explores the extent to which the [Health Sector Strategic Master Plan (HSSMP)] process served as a mechanism for effective aid coordination while promoting ownership and capacity building and the lessons learned for the wider international development community. [adapted from abstract]

The Last Word: Collaborating for Healthcare Improvement

Reflecting on service delivery in northern, rural or remote Canada, Dr. Roger Strasser (Dean of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine) and Erin Leith (Director, Collaboration for Innovation and Improvement, Canadian Foundation of Healthcare Improvement) discuss the significant momentum generated by the Canadian Recruit and Retain Conference and the influence and impact this will have on healthcare in these often under-served regions. [from introduction]

Improving the Process of Antenatal Care to Increase Detection of Women with High-Risk Conditions in Zonal Hospital of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India

Zonal Hospital, Mandi identified that they were not identifying women with high risk conditions during their antenatal care (ANC) clinic. By re-organizing the clinic, the hospital was able to increase the proportion of pregnant women identified as being at high-risk from 1.6% to 12.3% in a matter of weeks. [from abstract]

Health Sector Strategy and Economic Development in Cameroon: History, Challenges and Perspectives

There are complex and multisectoral interdependent relationships between health systems
and economic development in Cameroon that have been barely described in literature. Having analyzed these challenges, the author of this capstone proposes many policy alternatives to the Ministry of Public Health.

South Africa’s Protracted Struggle for Equal Distribution and Equitable Access – Still Not There

The purpose of this contribution is to analyse and explain the South African HRH case, its
historical evolution, and post-apartheid reform initiatives aimed at addressing deficiencies
and shortfalls. [from abstract]

Traditional Birth Attendants and Policy Ambivalence in Zimbabwe

This paper analyses the importance of the services rendered by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to pregnantwomen in Zimbabwe.It argues that, though an integral part of the health system, the ambivalence in terms of policy on the part of the government leaves them in a predicament. [from abstract]

Social Deterministic Factors to Participation in the National Health Insurance Scheme in the Context of Rural Ghanaian Setting

The primary purpose of this study is to identify predictors of complete household enrollment into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) among inhabitants of the Barekese sub-district in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. [from abstract]